Aubrey Norman is the chef and owner of Downtown Cafe, located at 105 E. Capitol St. in Jackson.

•Influences: Convenience is a driving force for Norman, who wants to get people in and out during the downtown lunch rush, all the while providing fast, affordable and friendly service

•What he's cooking: Chicken and Waffle

•Best thing about it: History and taste. The dish stems from New York Jazz Age lore. After jam sessions at clubs that stretched into the wee hours, musicians would get fried chicken for breakfast and waffles as the hot bread to go with it.

At Downtown Cafe, it works for lunch, with two hot syrups and drawn butter included.

Norman says if one person in a group orders it, everybody wants to try it. "Once they have it, they tell everybody about it. ... It's something to write home about."